


The Banshee and The Selkie

by Tyler_KB



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: All of Loki's Children are also Skinwalkers, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angel Sam Wilson, Banshee Sarah Rogers, Banshee Steve Rogers, Banshees, Berserker Thor (Marvel), Dullahan Clint Barton, F/F, Fairy Peter Parker, Falling In Love, Gorgon Pepper Potts, Hellhound Bruce Banner, Hellhound Jennifer Walters, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Incubus Tony Stark, Love at First Sight, M/M, Magical Realism, Merman Phil Coulson, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Rusalka Natasha Romanov, Sarah and Winifred love their sons, Selkie Bucky Barnes, Selkie Winifred Barnes, Selkies, Skinwalker Loki, Succubus Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Witch Peggy Carter, not between main characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 22:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17434676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyler_KB/pseuds/Tyler_KB
Summary: Sarah fell in love the second she walked onto American soil and saw a woman walk out of the freezing water as if the temperature meant nothing.Bucky fell in love with his best friend over many years.Winifred knew she could trust Sarah no matter what horror stories people whispered about banshees.Steve knew he would follow and protect Bucky from anything.





	1. Sarah and Winifred

It's an old rule, but one you hear whispered in the dark nights.

_"Banshee's live forever, if only they never love."_

Sarah had lived for many years, her exact beginnings are a mystery, and though she made friends, she never loved.

She wanted to live forever, but after stepping off a boat in New York sometime during the late 1800s, she barely payed attention to the year anymore at this point, and walking to the beach to calm her nerves a sight made her rethink everything.

The shore was clear of people, private with freezing water, but a woman walked out of the water as if the temperature meant nothing, drying herself and dressing fully before the woman finally saw Sarah, and for a moment she almost looked afraid.

Sarah smiled, and walked over, hoping to not scare the woman away.

"I wasn't aware selkies lived in this area," Sarah said, and the woman blinked, looking Sarah over slowly.

"And I believed all banshees remained in Ireland until they were needed." Sarah laughs, and the woman begins to calm.

She introduces herself as Winifred, and says she has lived in this land and sea a long time, that she had roamed for many years before settling, Sarah tells her the same.

Winifred promises to return the next day, and leaves to a place Sarah doesn't know. So she waits, and the next day Winifred does return, as well as the next.

They continue this pattern for years, slowly falling in love as they trade stories and wishes for the future. Winifred mentions she has two pups from a previous relationship she doesn't talk about, but Sarah can tell it wasn't good. Winifred protects her seal skin desperately, and the one day Sarah gets the privilege to wrap it around herself is one she cherishes, she wonders if someone else wasn't so happy with it.

Though one day Sarah gets a message from her old home, a boy banshee was found and they believe Sarah is the best to take care of him until he is older.

She meets Winifred at their time, in their spot, and tells her the news. 

Sarah says she will return soon, and they kiss for a moment as a silent promise to one another.

The next day Sarah gets on board the next boat to Ireland, watching the water and wondering if Winifred was looking back at her.

The boy banshee is named Steve, and though he has been alive many years, he looks no older than a four year old human child.

So Sarah cares for him, and on the night of Yule, ten years after she had left America and Winifred, her and Steve board a boat back to the states.

She does not voice it, but she wonders if Winifred is still waiting for her or if she moved on to another love or another sea or both. The thought makes Sarah sad, so she doesn't focus on it, instead telling Steve all about America, leaving out the most wonderful parts for her.

They buy a house in a creature neighborhood next to Brooklyn, close to the water for the ocean creatures to have a space to swim and be free. Their neighbors are werewolves and gorgons and witches who help get the two settled, Steve starts at the school and Sarah gets a job and together they live.

Sarah doesn't find Winifred until Steve looks twelve and he comes home, talking all about how his friend Bucky invited him and Sarah to dinner at his house near the water tomorrow night.

Bucky is a common name in the household, he was Steve's best friend since Steve started school and Sarah knows everything from Bucky's favorite food to his four least favorite reptiles (why four she will never understand).

She accepts with the knowledge Steve said Bucky's mom requested for everyone to be free, and the next evening she dresses her and Steve in their best clothing. She does not fear letting her true form show as was requested, neither does Steve, and happily lets go of her human mask. Her hair grows in length, tangling itself as her skin gets paler and sunken, eyes turning fully black instead of blue.

Steve copies her, smiling when he's done and Sarah can't help but smile back.

They walk to Bucky's house, and when Steve knocks happily she doesn't expect her first and only love to answer the door.

Winifred stands there, sealskin wrapped around her shoulders, eyes wide but almost looking happy, and Sarah almost cries or laughs, she honestly can't tell which.

Bucky looks out the door and tackles Steve in a hug, breaking the trace state Sarah and Winifred were in.

"Hi Stevie's mom! I'm glad you could come, this is my mama, mama this is Stevie's mom," Bucky explains, and for a second Sarah wonders if they should tell their boys that Sarah and Winifred already know each other, more than they probably should though it never stopped them.

"Sarah," she says, putting her hand out but Winifred just smiles.

"Winifred," she introduces, pulling Sarah into a hug, "no need for such pleasantries, we are family aren't we?" Sarah doesn't think the boys understand truly what Winifred is saying, but she does, and that's what matters.

For years they meet again and again, talking about everything that happened in the years they were apart. They watch their boys grow up, as well as little Becca who greets Sarah with a huge hug every time they see one another.

Though, they come to a silent understanding that despite the fact they were bond, as Sarah had long ago fallen in love with Winifred to the point her banshee mind and heart had bonded the two together, Sarah no longer immortal as she had been, they could not tell a soul.

They saw the way Steve and Bucky looked at each other, and recognized themselves in their sons, deciding their sons love was more important than their own.

So years passed, the great war happened and some creatures had to go into hiding, but they stayed together, surviving.

But when the second war began, Bucky joined without telling anyone.

He and Steve had been living together in their own apartment for two years before the news came, and Sarah and Winifred's hearts broke as they watched Bucky leave, Steve hidden close behind as he refused to be far from his own bonded.

Bucky wrote as often as possible, until the letters stopped and the news arrived that Bucky had died in duty, they were never told how.

They mourned, knowing if Bucky was dead as was Steve, who loved hard and would sooner bring down the world than live without Bucky, and cried for their lost sons.

But with time they began healing.

They started being more open, not worrying as much about Steve and Bucky's love as they were no longer there, and moved into the same house. 

They watched Becca get married, and when they decided to see the world, they bought a car and traveled. They found private beaches and Winifred put on the sealskin and swam for hours, sometimes Sarah had to scream in the night, but they remained together for decades, watching the world pass by them.

They never marry in the human world, but one full moon in 1994 they stand in the middle of a beach in California and officially commit themselves to one another in front of the Gods and Goddesses, and they both think that's the best thing they could have done.

It happens a fall morning in 2006.

Winifred and Sarah were aging together, they had since the 50s, but Winifred always had aged a little faster, and they both knew the time was coming shortly. So they returned to their originally spot on the private beach, sitting on the sand and allowing the water to run in between their toes.

They fall asleep during the night, and when Sarah awakes she feels empty, like a part of herself was destroyed during her sleep and she knows it happened.

She doesn't panic, instead smiles and distantly she hears a banshee scream and knows it's her time as well.

Her eyes close as she lays down, gripping Winifred's hand tightly and thanking every being out there for this life that was filled with such happiness.

She sheds a tear for Steve and Bucky, but none for anyone else, and slowly she relaxes as the soul leaves the body she embodied for hundreds of years, knowing she would be happy.

Across the ocean their sons stand, alive but not well, as one shoots a woman as an order and the other is helpless to watch as the man he loves continues hurting and slowly loses the memories he once held dear; except, of course, the blond man who watches from the dark, who his handlers fear more than Death, who the Winter Soldier knows he can trust no matter what.


	2. Steve and Bucky

Steve met Bucky in school after he had defended him in a fight.

Of course Steve was mad, he could have handled it after all, but Bucky had just laughed and called him a punk before joining him for lunch.

For years that's how it went, Bucky and Steve became best friends, one was rarely seen without the other nearby. Steve would get into fights when some of the 'lighter' creatures would call him or other 'dark' creatures names, and Bucky would patch up the injuries Steve got because he never finished a fight without them.

Then Bucky invited Steve to dinner because his mama wanted to meet the boy Bucky loved, though of course he didn't know he loved Stevie at the time, and Steve did come with his mom the next night, not in his human form like he was in school. 

Bucky said a few months later that maybe their moms had met before, as Winifred had never trusted someone she just met and never _ever_ let anyone touch her sealskin like he had seen Ms. Sarah do about a month after the dinner. Steve agreed, and so together they watched with Becca following close behind. Becca was the one to say that Sarah and Winifred were in love, Steve and Bucky couldn't help but agree.

They moved out together when Steve looked twenty one and bought an apartment with money they'd been saving for years. Bucky worked down at the docks with other selkie, mermen, and even humans, trying to make ends meet so Stevie could continue art school without worrying about money (though Bucky knew it never stopped him).

They ate dinner with their mom's and Becca once a week, and everything was perfect.

Until the letter came, Bucky had been drafted into the war.

He lied, told everyone he volunteered, made it seem like it was his choice.

Steve wanted to join to if only to follow Bucky, but he was too small, and omens of Death like Steve weren't allowed to join. Steve started hiding, more and more people started hating him, starting hating Sarah, so he never transformed unless he needed to scream, and even then he never let Bucky see anymore.

When Bucky left for training, he knew Steve was following.

He heard whispers of a unknown blond man following their unit, specifically the snipper who was promoted to Sargent due to his skills.

They figured out quickly the blond man was a banshee, as the night before their first battle, a piercing scream invaded everyone's ears and Bucky almost cried. Steve didn't show himself a lot, but Bucky could feel him nearby wherever he went.

The first person outside of Bucky he showed himself to fully was Peggy Carter.

She was a witch that was ordered to find the banshee that followed them, and when she did, Steve showed himself without fear because he would not leave Bucky.

Four hours later, Peggy returned with the news that the banshee was protecting one of the soldiers, she lied when she was ordered to tell who the soldier was and said she didn't know.

The Howling Commandos also knew of Steve, when Bucky accidentally let it slip one night after a scream ripped through a celebration, and whenever they saw a pale blond man out of the corner of their eyes, they knew they were protected.

Until Bucky and over a hundred other men were taken, and the blond man disappeared.

The Commandos, those left anyways, wanted to recuse the men by themselves, but Peggy told them to wait.

Two months later the missing men returned, telling tales of a blond banshee that destroyed the base they were at in an effort to save the man the banshee had bound himself to. They never told who the banshee saved, and if any of them noticed Peggy pulling aside Bucky to tell him she knew what Steve was willing to do for him, they never mentioned it.

No one knew his name other than the Commandos, Peggy, and Howard Stark, who figured it out and wouldn't stop until Bucky finally told him the name of the banshee who protected the unit. The banshee was honored privately, the soldiers loved him and would leave offerings for him, and slowly Steve showed himself a little more to Bucky until the first night in years Bucky held Steve, in his natural form instead of a human one, and together they slept.

When Bucky fell, Steve followed. 

He watched as HYDRA took him, not able to do anything with how close to death they had both gotten.

Steve learned about when one of the commandos crashed into the ocean, and that there were rumors of Peggy Carter and Howard Stark starting a organization, but Steve couldn't focus on anything except Bucky.

Bucky, who he watched get tortured into submission and taught how to kill a man quickly with any weapon you could think of.

The first time someone tried to get rid of Steve, know who he was protecting and what he was, he couldn't help but scream.

They tried for years, decades, to get rid of the banshee tied to their Winter Soldier, but every time they attempted more men died, and slowly they began fearing the blond man who stalked the hallways and watched as they continued grooming the Winter Soldier into the perfect assassin.

Steve watched Bucky in the Red Room, training young girls to steal and seduce and kill, he watched him kill presidents, journalists, and SHIELD agents, he watched as his memory slipped away and Steve knew he couldn't do anything to help.

The Asset didn't know Steve's name, but he did know he could trust the banshee that his handlers feared, so some nights he would hold the banshees hand and run his fingers through tangled hair and the banshee would whisper that he loved him and the Winter Soldier would believe him.

The day the Winter Soldier broke conditioning was the first day Steve had hope he would have his Bucky back.

It was the sealskin that did it, Steve had found and stolen it, hoping that at least some of Bucky's memories would return.

Not all did, but Bucky recognized Steve as Steve instead of just the banshee, and so Steve hid the sealskin until the Winter Soldiers next mission, where they ran to the ocean and escaped, Bucky transforming for the first time in years while Steve flew.

They landed in New York, just like their mothers over a hundred years ago, and made a home in an abandoned building. They worked to break more of HYDRA's conditioning, and a few years later, Bucky could remember most of his life, nightmares were still common but he never hurt Stevie in his flashbacks, and though he still had knives and guns on him wherever he went, he no longer had to have one in his hand just in case.

They were alone, it was perfect.

Until some day in 2015 and a man in an eye patch was standing in the middle of what was now their home.

Steve hid himself, no one could know he existed, and Bucky was invited to join a group of superhero's. After talking with Steve, Bucky found the location of the tower and together they walked in to start a new chapter in their lives.

The team was full of creatures, not that the public knew that of course, only a few of them were out about their creature status. It was a well kept secret since creatures, especially 'dark' ones, weren't as accepted as they once were, SHEILD helping a lot to keep the secret of how many 'dark' creatures there actually are on the team to both the governments and public .

But it was nice to be around others like them.

Sam got to walk around with wings out and practically glowing, lighting the room with his laugh. 

Tony always walked with his own wings, bat like compared to Sam's heavenly ones, red eyes glowing and a pair of horns poking out from his hair, every once in awhile you can see him walking in her succubus form.

Peter, Tony's kid, flying around with almost transparent blue wings with skin to match, pointed ears with flowers weaved into the strands.

Loki and his kids change forms constantly, going in between animals now that they finally have the ability to do so freely, without fear, and they preform magic in front of everyone, the smaller children trying to impress their favorite aunt or uncle with new spells.

Bruce and Thor barely go into their creature forms fully because they know it could be dangerous. Bruce allows his eyes to glow red, and no one has ever seen a burn mark on his body despite having seen him on fire at least twice, while Thor wears his wolf-skin pelt proudly, telling of battles he was won throughout his years.

Natasha, Jennifer, and Pepper also barely transform fully. Natasha knows her voice could make a man kneel at her feet in a second or a woman jump off a bridge so she tries to keep it more human until she needs it, but when she smiles you can see sharp teeth and she's almost never dry. Jennifer likes to transform, but only when Pepper does, because she cannot hurt Pepper and Pepper cannot hurt her, so when they want to drop their human looks and become a wolf or have snakes for hair, they go away and only return hours later.

Clint has a scar around his neck from where it falls off whenever he transforms. He'll trade the bow for a whip that changes into a spine, and his skin rots while his mouth is cut to his ears, sometimes in the night you will hear him scream a name no one recognizes but they know that person is now dead.

Phil can't transform without water, though he never gets rid of the dark blue scales that cover parts of his legs, waist, and shoulders, the way his teeth sharpen as his anger grows and webbed fingers grip a gun tightly, he was the one to make everyone else not fear showing their true selves.

The Avengers, that's what they call them.

They don't know about Steve, though sometimes Bucky thinks Clint knows more than he lets on. They just know that occasionally a blond man can be seen watching them, specifically the one called the Winter Soldier for the camera, from the corner of the rooms.

They hear his screams before a battle is sounded, knowing someone will die soon yet never who exactly, and instead of fearing him they accept him, leaving out small offerings that disappear in the morning, hidden in a special box inside Bucky's room where Steve sleeps at night, wrapped in Bucky's arms and safe from the world.

It's Tony that figures it out.

"My father wrote journals you know," he tells Bucky one day when the team is relaxing on a day where no one is trying to take over the world.

"Howard?" Bucky asks, and Tony nods, walking into the room without being invited.

"Yep, father dearest loved you, loved aunt Peggy and the Commandos, sometimes I wondered if he loved them more than me, but there was one journal full of nothing but a certain person he was sure died with you, imagine my surprise when you show up with that same person in tow." Tony isn't smiling or angry or anything, he just looks tired, and Bucky isn't sure how to reply.

"A whole journal about this blond banshee that followed the Commandos everywhere, the one that was rumored to have burnt down an entire HYDRA base to save the man he loved, who everyone loved yet no one knew who he was, and anyone who knew the man he loved remained silent," he pauses, watching Bucky for a moment before continuing, "but Howard knew his name huh? Knew who he loved? It was Howard's favorite story I think, the banshee who loved a soldier so much he was willing to follow the man to Death, giving up his immortality if only to never be without the man he loved, I loved it growing up but I didn't understand how someone with endless time would willing give it up for some person they 'loved', until meeting Loki at least, and though Incubus' don't live by the same rules, I would give up everything to stay with him."

Finally he smiles, just a small one but Bucky can see the pain, "that's how Steve is for you huh?"

I don't reply for a second but that's all the answer Tony needs.

"Tell Steve it's okay to show himself more, I'm sure the team would love him." I smile, but shake my head.

"Steve's kind hasn't been accepted in years, we don't-" and Tony rolls his eyes.

"It's the omen of Death thing right? Howard had mentioned it in the journals, but if it's not obvious we don't care about that I'm not sure how you are functioning. Clint's an omen of Death, Bruce and Jennifer are too, and we still love them the same as Sam or Phil," he smiles, walking towards the door before turning around for a moment, "just think about it."

Bucky does.

He asks Steve the next time Steve makes himself known, and though he hesitates for a second, he agrees to meet the team.

So, the next morning, Steve makes himself more visible and stops the illusion he put on himself so people can't see him normally, and together they walk down to the kitchen for breakfast.

Everyone is sitting around the living room with their breakfast, some having cereal while others eat the omelets Loki made, and when Bucky and Steve walk in, the room goes quiet.

Steve almost runs away, not wanting to be yelled at or even worse have someone hurt Bucky, but when the silence is broken by Phil laughing, he knows it's going to be okay.

So Steve becomes a quiet member of the team, hiding from the public but helping as much as he can anyways.

And if the public starts to wonder about the blond banshee that seems to follow the Avengers, particularly the Winter Soldier, everywhere they go, maybe they realize they will just have to learn to love him as much as they love the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who don't know some of the creatures-  
> Steve and Sarah: Banshee (a spirit who scream to announce coming death)  
> Bucky and Winifred: Selkie (can turn into seal with seal fur pelt when in water, anyone who has their seal fur pelt holds power other them)  
> Sam: Angel (a pure, winged creature)  
> Tony: Incubus (seductive male demon who can transform into a female counterpart)  
> Peter: Fairy (magical being known for their trickery)  
> Loki and children: Skinwalker (dark witch who transforms into animals)  
> Bruce: Hellhound (large black dog with fire based abilities, if you look into their eyes three times you will die)  
> Thor: Berserker (can transform into wolves, bears, and wild bulls and enter an uncontrollable rage in battle)  
> Natasha: Rusalka (a siren like woman who was drowned and is malicious towards men)  
> Pepper: Gorgon (a woman with snakes for hair who turns people to stone with direct eye contact)  
> Jennifer: Hellhound (large black dog with fire based abilities, if you look into their eyes three times you will die)  
> Clint: Dullahan (Death/Headless Horseman mix who has a spine whip and when he shouts a person’s name they die)  
> Phil: Merman (a man who is half man and half fish)


End file.
